If your painting of a butterfly didn’t get hung in the hallway with the other butterflies because it was rainbow instead of orange, your protective mind might have decided right then and there to make a shield: stop expressing creativity as you do. You can undo this thinking and restore and invite creativity!
Just because we tell ourselves stories that diminish our true nature doesn’t mean our true nature goes away. We are all creative. We are all creative. We are all creative. Though I may not move like Beyonce when I dance, my body moves and I’m gonna enjoy dancing! What’s one way you can express your very own way today?
Here are 3 simple practices that will awaken & invite creativity:
Take a walk
I used to have such a struggle walking my dog. She wanted to stop and sniff every rock and hydrant, change course and follow every scent, then lay down and chew a stick for a while and I wanted to get around the block and back to the house! Creativity is more like my dog, wandering and wondering, and you’ll give yourself a real gift if you stop struggling like I did and follow the dog. Walking puts the body in motion, engages the senses and gives the mind a chance to wander so you can have a refreshing moment of being. You’ll be amazed at the relief in a walk with no destination in mind, and the enticing ideas that float in and out as you wander.
Play a game of Exquisite Corpse
Exquisite Corpse is a group creativity warm-up thought up by artists living in Paris, in the 1920s. The person who starts the drawing begins at the top edge of a sheet of paper. When their part is done, they fold over the paper so that only a little clue of what’s been drawn is showing. The next person uses what is being shown as the beginning of their drawing, then folds over their part and leaves only a small clue for the next person. The drawing is complete when you and your partners reach the bottom edge of the paper. It’s a great way to get to know a person from a fresh perspective and can start great conversations.
Write 3 pages of the first things that pop into your head
This practice is inspired by Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way. Think of it as writing meditation, the idea is to become the court reporter to the thoughts in your head. Skip things like spelling, grammar and punctuation, the purpose isn’t to reread your writing as much as it is to have a place to put all that thinking. It’s been a regular practice of mine for about 5 years now and I notice I’m less distracted during the day and have more patience when I begin my day this way. Decluttering the mind this way makes a smooth runway to invite creativity.
